8. Gabriel #2
My interest sharpens. Ten years ago, Massimo and I were already close.
He never mentioned her. Interesting. I slip the phone into my pocket, noticing briefly that Audra and Pete are watching a movie now.
He must have gotten home, and I missed it.
What I don't miss is that they're not curled up together like they usually are.
Then Jenna drops the bomb. "He helped me get rid of a body."
Silence. Utter silence. Massimo turns his head toward her slowly. His eyes scream: Are you fucking serious?
"A body?" Amauri echoes, eyes enormous.
Jenna grins and winks, not at him, at us. "A raccoon. I accidentally ran it over."
She's using the raccoon we mentioned earlier as cover, knowing fully well the kid is listening.
The wink tells us everything we need to know.
Same game. Different audience. I study her again.
She looks fragile enough that a strong wind might knock her over.
Soft voice. Delicate frame. Hard to imagine her dragging a corpse somewhere. Then again… appearances lie.
It would explain a lot. Massimo keeping her a secret. The way he's glaring at her now, like she just fired a grenade across the table. Which only strengthens my suspicion that her first answer was closer to the truth than the raccoon.
The corner of my mouth twitches. Damiano coughs into his napkin, trying to hide a grin.
Alessio watches Jenna with quiet interest, like she just passed some kind of silent initiation.
Massimo closes his eyes briefly and shakes his head.
He leans closer and mutters something into Jenna's ear. Jenna whispers something back.
Amauri watches the two of them, suspicion written all over his face. "You guys are being weird."
Massimo ruffles his hair. "Get used to it."
After dessert, I catch Massimo's eye and tilt my head toward the balcony.
I still need to talk to him. He nods once, and a minute later, we step outside.
The night air is warm, thick with the smell of the city.
Traffic murmurs far below us. Somewhere down the Strip, a siren wails.
Laughter drifts up from the street like Vegas itself is mocking us.
Massimo leans his forearms on the railing. "What's up?"
I don't beat around the bush. "El Recaudador called again."
Massimo exhales slowly. "The fucker is starting to irritate me."
"Same offer. Same pitch. Leave you. Come work for him." I sum up the conversation.
Massimo scoffs. "He's a persistent pain in the ass."
"He's patient," I correct. "This guy isn't some wannabe gangster with a burner phone. He knows what he's doing."
Unfortunately. He's been undermining us for weeks, slowly infiltrating our operations, seeding distrust. Massimo nods. "I know."
For a moment, we both watch the city. Vegas spreads out beneath us like a glowing wound.
"We'll get him," Massimo decides eventually.
"The question is how much damage he's going to cost us in the meantime.
" He goes quiet for a moment. I fully agree with him.
Whoever this El Recaudador is, he's a legit threat.
The greatest we've had since we took the organization from Massimo's uncle and cousins.
A moment later, Massimo adds, "I'm worried about Jenna." I glance at him. "El Recaudador already warned me he was coming after all of you," he looks straight at me, knowing he doesn't have to worry about me or the others. "But that was before Jenna."
And before Amauri. He doesn't say it. Probably can't. Fuck, I don't want to be in his shoes.
Suddenly, he has a family drop in his lap, one he actually cares for.
That's a headache you don't wish on your worst enemy.
Let alone your best friend. I nod slowly.
I've been mulling something over since I hung up the phone earlier.
Carefully, I suggest, "Maybe I should take the offer. "
Massimo turns to look at me. Flat. I can see the cogs in his brain turning, "That's a bad idea."
I shrug slightly. If there is even a chance in hell that El Recaudador would believe me, I could gather valuable intel. "He might believe it."
Massimo shakes his head. "No chance. Everyone in this city knows you and me are brothers."
He's not wrong. People have died not believing that. I shrug. "What's the worst that could happen?"
"He'd kill you to get to me." Massimo shakes his head.
"Look, I don't have anything to lose," I remind him. "I don't have a family like you?—"
He cuts me off. "Don't. You're my consigliere. I need you. You're not disposable."
I could point out that Enzo could fill my job without blinking, or Alessio or Damiano, but I'm wise enough to realize I'm close to pissing Massimo off.
So I consider my idea from another angle. "If not me…"
Massimo studies me. More intrigued now. Then he follows my gaze back toward the dining room. Alessio. Damiano.
His eyes narrow slightly. "You're thinking about planting a rat."
"Not a rat," I correct. "A rumor."
Massimo's mouth twitches. The Don likes the idea.
"If El Recaudador thinks he's turning one of us," I continue, "he'll come out of the shadows."
Massimo nods slowly. "And when he does…"
The city hums beneath us. Somewhere, a car backfires. Massimo's voice goes quiet. "We'll bury him."
I nod once. Now the only question left is which one of us is convincing enough to play traitor. And which one will El Recaudador believe?